Great new ERA road test video

[DanEC]

Yes - he missed on that by about 500 to 600 lbs.

[crASH]

Originally Posted by DanEC

Yeah you can do that to some extent. However, a lot of builders have dressed their molds up so that the body is a little low around the seams to allow room for a thin coat of filler to even them out. Also, the gel coat takes a bit of a beating in normal handling and trial assembly. A couple manufacturers even advertise a gel coat finish suitable for blocking and polishing. B&B use to do so I know. I saw someone else the other day advertising it. The gel coat is going to be thick enough in most cases to do a little sanding and polishing. But as soon as I've said that someone will pop up with a car that had very thin gelcoat.

I saw this video the other day and had to admit that is a great way to enjoy a car. I've got so much time and effort in preparing and painting mine that the first scratch or paint chip is going to kill me.

I talked to one large replica kit provider today and they said that it would likely be necessary to recoat (spray) where the seams are removed with gel coat once the seams are blocked, but that they can buffed out.

[Maricopa]

Hey Hyde, how about this?
Wow, that paint job looks terrible. When are you gonna finish it?

[fdjake]

13,

Super cool car!! A real piece of RACING HARDWARE!!

Love the #13 too......Bad Luck, Underdog, Outsider....Nice touch

[*13*]

Originally Posted by fdjake

13,

Super cool car!! A real piece of RACING HARDWARE!!

Love the #13 too......Bad Luck, Underdog, Outsider....Nice touch

thanks, I have a guitar to match also . I've had the car next to the real deal & people have asked what the CsX number is. It's flattering when people think it is a dirty old Shelby, but I always come clean

[*13*]

Originally Posted by Maricopa

Hey Hyde, how about this?
Wow, that paint job looks terrible. When are you gonna finish it?

That's pretty much what my father said.

[Maricopa]

Mine just shook his head and asked if my life insurance was paid up.

[NorCALSpeed]

That's my family's car!

I just joined the forum, and was actually going to post the video in this section, then I saw this post. What a cool coincidence. Thanks for all the kind words. I truly appreciate it, and I'm so glad Mike Musto wanted to use it in the video.

Far as I can tell there's two kinds of cracks going on with the car: The little spider cracks are just on the gel coat that came on the car. It's over 10 years old, 12k miles. So I'm not sure if that's to be expected.

The car DID survive a crash (my brother) about 2 years after it was built. We had to replace the front section (I don't remember the details of what was replaced, or how, I was at college at the time). I would bet that's responsible for the any imperfections not found on other ERAs. Some of the pits (on the top of the fender) seem like air bubbles from the molding/gel coating process. It looked that way when we received it, and we knew it would need some real body work to be perfect.

But 10 years later, I love it the way it is. I like rougher black look. It's rough around the edges. It looks angry, it sounds angry, and I often drive it as such. Although I have the biggest grin for an "angry driver." One day I might "finish" it, but I would want to retain this rougher, raced look as much as possible. That may mean smoothing the body out, and just using black lacquer for paint. All I want to do is drive it, so I don't need it to be flashy. It's a mean car, and looks the part. And this way, I don't care if a rock hits it, or if I (eventually) take it to the track.

Cheers. Zack

[Maricopa]

The little spider cracks are just on the gel coat that came on the car. It's over 10 years old, 12k miles. So I'm not sure if that's to be expected.

Some of the pits (on the top of the fender) seem like air bubbles from the molding/gel coating process. It looked that way when we received it, and we knew it would need some real body work to be perfect.

At the risk of incurring the wrath of the faithful I've seen pic of raw ERAs with some pretty severe molding flash/voids and heard the same from guys that have painted theirs. Not unusual and not a problem for a 'glass guy.
Very cool car, congrats on the vid.

[*13*]

I think there is something to be said for the "rough look" & you should enjoy it! It's a great car & you can take it down a gravel road w/o worrying about that 10k metallic paint job. Nicks & scratches become character & you get to enjoy ever day & road that calls out to you.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

ERA 427's took on a new mold with ERA chassis # 731. This new mold left very little checking of the gelcoat, and almost looks like it's ready to drive without paint (like the video car). Pre ERA 731 cars looked a mess, such as mine looked when I took delivery in 2005.

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